Custard-cream fans planning a portion
If you want the filled biscuit, compare the kcal in the number you are likely to eat. The NHS notes that the portion printed by a manufacturer may differ from your own.
Who is this choice for?
Shoppers looking for a reduced-sugar biscuit
If you are willing to switch biscuit type, check which product actually carries a reduced-sugar description. Compare its kcal as well as its sugars rather than assuming the wording settles the weight-management decision.
What should you check before choosing?
Keep the custard-cream format
Choose this when: The filled biscuit is what you want, and you can plan the number you will eat.
Bear in mind: Comparing standard custard-cream labels does not turn any of the compared packs into a reduced-sugar product.
Switch to a labelled reduced-sugar biscuit
Choose this when: An explicit reduced-sugar description matters more to you than a custard-cream filling.
Bear in mind: Tesco describes McVitie's Rich Tea The Light One as reduced sugar, but its stated comparison is with a typical semi-sweet biscuit, not a custard cream.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Portion energy | Check kcal per biscuit and multiply by the number you expect to eat. Sainsbury's, Tesco and Asda each list 59kcal per biscuit for the custard-cream packs examined; the NHS advises checking your actual portion rather than assuming the labelled serving is yours. | I want to account for the biscuits I plan to have, not just the figure for one biscuit. |
| Sugars and energy | Compare both figures per 100g. Sainsbury's lists 26.5g sugars and 474kcal, Tesco 28.3g and 490kcal, and Asda 29g and 496kcal for their respective custard-cream packs. Check whether any reduced-sugar wording applies to the biscuit type you want. | If I keep buying custard creams, I want a like-for-like label comparison. If reduced-sugar wording is the priority, I am willing to consider a different biscuit. |
| Dietary details | Read the current packet's ingredients and allergen advice, then compare saturates per 100g if that figure matters to you. Follow the pack's storage directions after opening. | Before choosing, I need to check the ingredients that matter to me rather than judging a biscuit on sugar alone. |
What can make a label comparison misleading?
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Assuming less sugar means fewer calories
Sugar and energy are different label figures. The NHS explains that energy intake matters for weight loss, while a per-biscuit figure may also reflect biscuit size.
Compare sugars and kcal per 100g, then use the kcal figure for the number of biscuits you expect to eat.
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Confusing a reduced-sugar Rich Tea with a custard cream
Tesco describes McVitie's Rich Tea The Light One as reduced sugar, while Iceland describes McVitie's Tasties as a custard cream. They are different biscuit types.
Check the product name and what any sugar comparison refers to before switching.
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Using an online ingredient list as the final allergy check
Asda and Iceland caution that online food information can change. That matters when an ingredient or precautionary allergen statement affects your choice.
Read the ingredients and allergen wording on the packet supplied before eating.
How do the relevant brands compare?
These figures describe the specified packs and biscuit types, not every product made by each brand.
Sainsbury's
Standard custard creams in the examined 200g pack.
- Sainsbury's lists 26.5g sugars and 474kcal per 100g, and 59kcal per biscuit.
- The pack is not identified as reduced sugar; the figures are retailer-listed nutrition values.
Tesco
Standard custard creams in the examined 400g pack.
- Tesco lists 28.3g sugars and 490kcal per 100g, and 59kcal per biscuit.
- Its custard-cream listing does not describe this pack as reduced sugar.
Asda
Standard custard creams in the examined 400g pack.
- Asda lists 29g sugars and 496kcal per 100g, and 59kcal per biscuit.
- The pack is not identified as reduced sugar. Asda advises checking the pack because online food information can change.
McVitie's
The Tasties custard cream and Rich Tea The Light One are different biscuit types.
- Tesco describes Rich Tea The Light One as reduced sugar and lists 12.8g sugars and 452kcal per 100g.
- That product is not a custard cream. Its stated sugar comparison is with a typical semi-sweet biscuit; Iceland does not describe the Tasties custard cream as reduced sugar.
Crawford's
Standard custard creams in the examined 300g pack.
- Tesco lists 30.7g sugars and 493kcal per 100g, and 59kcal per biscuit.
- The examined listing does not identify this product as reduced sugar.
M&S
Extra Cream Custard Creams in the examined 165g pack.
- M&S describes the biscuits as having more vanilla cream and lists 40.2g sugars and 502kcal per 100g.
- This is an extra-cream format, not a reduced-sugar selection. Compare the amount you intend to eat using the packet's nutrition information.
Which custard cream is listed on Joybuy?
This Joybuy option keeps the custard-cream format and is labelled gluten free. Compare its packet's sugars and kcal with other custard creams if those figures guide your choice.
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Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g
A 125g gluten-free custard-cream pack for shoppers who want the filled-biscuit format. Check its current nutrition panel for sugars and kcal per 100g and for the portion you expect to eat; do not infer a reduced-sugar claim from the gluten-free name.
Common questions
Does less sugar in a custard cream mean fewer calories?
Not necessarily. Compare both sugars and kcal per 100g, then check the kcal in the number you intend to eat. NHS guidance explains why energy intake, rather than sugar content alone, matters for weight loss.
Is a reduced-sugar Rich Tea biscuit a reduced-sugar custard cream?
No. Tesco describes McVitie's Rich Tea The Light One as a reduced-sugar biscuit, but it is a Rich Tea, not a filled custard cream. Its stated sugar comparison is with a typical semi-sweet biscuit.
How should I store custard creams after opening?
Follow the directions on the pack you buy. Sainsbury's advises storing its examined custard creams in an airtight container after opening for quality.
What if I need to avoid milk or wheat?
Check the current packet's ingredients and allergen advice before eating, including any precautionary wording. Online retailer information can change, so use the packet supplied for that decision.